Exciting Red Sox Slugger Drawing Comparisons To Boston Star As He Tears Through Minors
The Boston Red Sox have a bright future.
Boston's roster already has surprised people so far throughout the 2023 campaign, but it could be significantly better shortly. The Red Sox's farm system has been greatly improved over the last few seasons with top prospect Marcelo Mayer drawing most of the headlines, but the depth has been drastically improved. Over the next year, a few elite prospects, like No. 2 prospect Ceddanne Rafaela or No. 6 prospect Bryan Mata, could make the jump to the big leagues and some other exciting players will follow over the next couple of years.
One player who still is a ways away from the big leagues but already is impressing is young shortstop Yoeilin Cespedes. The 17-year-old currently is playing for the Red Sox's Dominican Summer League club and even is drawing comparisons to star third baseman, Rafael Devers.
"Yoeilin Cespedes is just 17 and in the Dominican Summer League, and so it’s early to get too carried away by his performance," Baseball America's Alex Speier said. Still, at the start of his professional career, the shortstop is showing signs of not only significant in-game power but a surprisingly mature approach that allows him to get to it with unusual frequency.
"Already, Cespedes looks like one of the top-hitting prospects to come through the organization’s academy since Rafael Devers a decade ago."
Cespedes signed with the Red Sox as an international free agent this past offseason and has been tearing the cover off of the ball in the Dominican Summer League. The 17-year-old has slashed .340/.369/.528 to go along with three home runs and 17 RBIs in 24 games. He's in just his first professional season, but there are reasons to be excited.
The young infielder still has a long way to go, but maybe we will see him at Fenway Park one day.
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